


Coffee or Tea?

by xTarmanderx



Series: Therek Prompts [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mention of past relationships, Minor Angst, bonus surprise pairing, mention of past Sterek, mention of past Thiam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 01:25:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15570678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: In the middle of a thunderstorm, Derek hears something in the parking lot and goes to investigate. He doesn't expect to find Theo Raeken, bloodied and shaken. He can't just leave him so he invites him inside. Neither one expects what will follow.





	Coffee or Tea?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tabbytabbytabby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/gifts).



> For Tabby, who inspires me every single day and who convinced me to love this pairing as much as she does with her incredible words.

Derek’s just sat down at his kitchen table. The storm outside has grown increasingly worse in the last fifteen minutes and he’s just waiting for the power to go out at this point. He’s made sure his laptop has been charged so he can watch a movie if it does go out and that his phone has at least _some_ battery life. He doesn’t need another visit from Stiles, chewing him out for not answering a teen crisis because his phone was dead. Sometimes he really regrets that the other boy knows where he lives.

He glances at the empty pot of coffee, wondering if it’s too late to make himself a cup. It’s just past midnight and he should be sleeping, but he’s been struggling to correct his routine ever since his return from South America a couple of days prior. Cora had demanded that he and Peter come and visit her and her new pack. He was happy for her, though a small part of him was selfish and wanted her back in Beacon Hills. But at least she had a pack now and she would be safe with them. Derek liked the alpha well enough and she’d promised to call if they ever needed anything. That was the next best thing aside from packing and moving to be with his sister. But this was home and even with the painful memories, he couldn’t find it in him to leave.

Outside, lightning flashed across the sky and thunder was quick to follow. Derek almost misses the shattering of glass coming from the parking lot. If he had, the startled screams from outside would have been sure to alert him. He snatched his car keys and hurried for the door, leaving it open behind him as he ran for the stairs. It wasn’t like he had much anyone would want to steal.

He paused as he reached the door that led outside, scanning the parking lot for any sign of what might have caught his attention. His own car was thankfully untouched and he stepped into the torrential downpour, a soft swear reaching his ears as he scanned the lot a second time. He finally saw what had first drawn his attention - the shattered windows of a dark truck. He cautiously walked closer, surprised to see Theo slumped forward over the steering wheel in the front seat.

“Fuck my life,” Theo grumbled as he uselessly turned the key in the ignition again. It gave him a pathetic sputtering in response and whined, telling him that he should just give up. He slammed his palm against the steering wheel, hissing when the horn went off and caused him to flinch back. He raked a bloody hand back through his hair and started to get out of the truck, jumping as he caught sight of Derek. How long had the born wolf been watching him?

“Look, I’m trying to get out of here. You don’t need to call the cops on me,” Theo snaps as he rubs his hands along the wheel.

“Who broke your windows?” Derek asks, frowning as he studies the small shards of glass littered along the back seat. Many of them are clinging to Theo’s clothes and he can see the remains of some sticking from the sides of his hands.

“Some teenagers.” Theo growls softly, his eyes flashing yellow.

“You scared them off.” Derek doesn’t phrase it as a question but Theo nods anyways.

“Didn’t mean to. They just…” Theo hesitates a moment too long and he understands without asking. They’d scared him from whatever he’d been doing in the back seat - sleeping, if the pillow and thin blanket were anything to go by.

“Come on.” Derek sighs as he walked over and unlocks his trunk, pulling a tarp from the back. “Your battery is probably dead. You can come stay in my place for the night and I’ll take a look at it in the morning.”

“I don’t need your pity,” Theo practically spits at him. But he does get out of the truck, shivering lightly. Derek can see how tense he is, as though he’s fighting off the cold without letting his body show it. While Derek unrolls the tarp, Theo quickly leans in through the open window and empties out the glove compartment. He shoves a handful of documents and an envelope inside of his jacket, looking back with eyes that dare Derek to ask questions. He ignores him in favor of starting to cover the truck to keep the worst of the rain out. That won’t help with the water that’s seeped through already but that’s a problem for the morning.

“You always spend the night in my parking lot?” Derek asks as he leads Theo into the building. He guides him to the elevator and presses the button for his floor, watching the reflection of the younger man. He’s shivering slightly, his jaw set in a firm line as he meets Derek’s gaze on the door.

“Why are you helping me in? You know who I am.” The words sound accusing but there’s an edge of bitterness to them as well. Derek isn’t surprised. Of course he knows who Theo Raeken is, Stiles had told him everything since Derek had returned to Beacon Hills to help fight off the hunters. Derek has met him twice before this, once at a pack meeting with Scott and another time at the grocery store. He’d watched Theo pay for everything in change, the cashier glaring daggers at him the whole time.

“Because I know what it’s like to be homeless.” Derek says softly. Theo’s eyes narrow and Derek continues, “I didn’t have a place to stay when I came back to Beacon Hills. I wound up staying in the burned down shell of my old house and living in an abandoned train yard for a while.”

“But you own this complex,” Theo blurts out before snapping his mouth shut with an audible click.

“I do now. Back then, I was too focused on revenge to care about my money. I didn’t have my head in the right place.” The elevator comes to a halt and Derek leads him to his loft, frowning as the lights flicker. The storm outside seems to be getting even worse, the wind howling. “Sit down at the kitchen table.” He tells Theo, not waiting to see if he actually does before he disappears into the bathroom. He grabs the first aid kit that Stiles had bought for him (“We can’t all heal like you, sourwolf”) and a soft red washcloth from under the sink before walking back out. Theo is sitting rigidly at the table, his gaze firmly fixed on the front door.

“You want something to drink? I was thinking of putting on a pot of coffee.” He says as he sets the supplies down and heads back into the kitchen. There’s a beat of silence and then -

“I don’t drink coffee.” Another pause. “Do you...do you have any tea?”

“I do.” He doesn’t tell Theo that the only reason he has some is because Lydia loves to drink it when she visits. If Theo looked around enough, he’d probably realise that Derek keeps a few extra things around for the pack when they pop in for a visit. Stiles’ favourite brand of cereal, frozen cuts of deer meat for Malia, granola bars for Scott, protein shakes for Liam, chocolate for Mason, and the list goes on. “Any particular flavor?”

“Something without caffeine.”

“Okay.” Derek smiled slightly and fills his kettle, setting it on the stove. He heads back to the kitchen table and sits next to Theo, turning his body to face him. “Mind if I take a look at your hands?” He asks with a slight nod at the first aid kit.

“Be my guest.” Theo slowly rolls his hands so his palms are facing upward, fresh blood pooling through his fingers.

“This might sting,” Derek warns as he plucks a pair of tweezers from the kit. He takes Theo’s right hand first, gently holding it in his own as he works on pulling out the larger shards of glass first. Theo flinches a few times but he stares resolutely ahead, determined not to show any signs of weakness. “So what happened tonight?” He asks, adjusting his grip and slowly working on getting a smaller piece out of his thumb.

“I was asleep. Some teenagers took bats to my windows...probably thought I had something worth stealing. I don’t think they saw me. They woke me up and I wolfed out on them.” Well that at least explained the screams.

“If you want, we can call the sheriff in the morning and file a report.” He’d offer to call tonight but he knows Stilinski is on a date with Finstock. Well, the date is probably over since it’s after midnight but they could still be up. Damn Stiles for putting those thoughts and that knowledge into his head.

“He’ll probably say it’s my fault,” Theo snorts in disdain and grinds his teeth as Derek pulls out a particularly jagged piece of glass. “I’m not exactly the town favourite when it comes to the police.” They’ve been called on him and his truck far too many times.

“John’s a fair guy. But we don’t have to call him.” Derek carefully sets his hand down and takes Theo’s other one. “Argent knows a guy that can fix your windows for a cheap price.” Theo whips his head around and glares fiercely at Derek.

“I can pay the full price.”

“Never said you couldn’t.” Derek removes another piece and glances up at him. “Do you always have such a chip on your shoulder?”

“I don’t need you or anyone else acting like I’m some kind of charity case.”

“Did those words come out of my mouth?” Derek gives him an unimpressed look. “No, they didn’t. I’m not doing this because I feel sorry for you. I want to help.”

“Why?” Theo’s gaze shifts to something more suspicious and distrustful. Jesus. Derek is going to have words with Scott after all of this. It’s been six months since Monroe left town but Theo still feels like an outsider to the pack. Derek doesn’t think that’s fair. He may not know Theo as well as everyone else but he does believe in second chances. And Derek is pretty sure everything Peter’s done is worse and Scott forgive him time after time. Theo deserves that same peace of mind.

“Because I was like you once. I made a lot of mistakes, I was alone with no one to help me out, and I refused to let anyone help. If I’d let someone in, a lot of people wouldn’t have had to die.” A dull ache flares up in his chest at the thought of his older sister, of Erica and then Boyd. “I don’t pity you.”

Theo is quiet after that and Derek doesn’t mind the silence. It gives him a chance to focus on the task at hand and he’s able to finish withdrawing the shards of glass. He sweeps them with his hand into a small pile on the corner of the table and offers Theo the washcloth to wipe the blood from his hands. The kettle whistles from the stove and he gets up, moving it quickly to a different burner before going to wash his hands. As he dries them, he watches Theo for a moment as the other man shivers so hard his teeth clatter.

“You want to take a shower first?” Derek offers, glancing down at his own soaking wet clothes. “We should both change into something dry.”

“I thought you were making us tea?” Theo turns his head to lift an eyebrow.

“The water will keep. But you’re cold and I’m starting to get uncomfortable in these wet jeans. I’ve got some spare clothes. They’ll be a little big on you but they’re better than nothing.” Derek tells him as he walks over to his dresser. He peels his own wet shirt off and tosses it onto the floor, surprised to hear the soft catch of Theo’s breath. He tries not to smirk as he grabs clothes for the chimera and walks back toward the bathroom. “I’ll set these on the side of the tub. You can shower and use a towel from under the sink. I’ll finish the tea and see if I can find a movie for us to watch.” He’s sure he has something interesting in the hundreds of downloads that Stiles put into his laptop.

He turns back around, not surprised to find that Theo still hasn’t moved. But his eyes have been tracking Derek and there’s a light flush in his cheeks. _He’s pretty,_ he thinks to himself. He offers a soft smile and steps out of the doorway. “There’s plenty of hot water so take your time.” He encourages as Theo finally stands up. His clothes are clinging to him and as he steps closer, Derek realized something is wrong. He’s too thin. He could almost see his ribs poking out against the wet articles of clothing and his cheeks seem sunken in, his face gaunt in the light. How long has he been like this?

“Thank you.” Theo says the words so quietly that he almost doesn’t hear him. The bathroom door clicks softly shut and Derek knows he doesn’t have much time. He hurries to the oven and turns it to baking, setting the temperature before returning to his bedroom. His strips his jeans and boxers quickly, momentarily regretting that he didn’t grab his own towel from the bathroom to dry himself off. He grabs a dry change of clothes and pads back into the kitchen, drying off as best as possible using a dish towel. After putting on sweatpants and a soft black tee, he knelt by the oven and pulled out a pizza pan from underneath. The power had yet to fail him and he needed to take advantage of that while he could.

By the time the shower turned off, Derek was pulling an enormous pepperoni and bacon pizza from the oven. He was supposed to be saving it for the next pack game night at his place but he could just go out and buy another one. He poured two cups of water and set them at the freshly cleaned table, looking up as the bathroom door opened. _Fuck._

Theo shifted nervously in the doorway, wearing sweatpants he’d rolled up multiple times because they were too long and a green shirt that made his eyes pop. His hair was ruffled and spiked in different directions and he looked...content. That was the only word to describe him. The suspicion had left his eyes and his lips were curled in the hint of a smile. It was a good look on him.

He stepped toward the living room at first and then turned, the scent of pizza catching his attention. “You cooked?” He glances at Derek.

“I was hungry and I thought you might be too. Don’t worry if you aren’t - I can have the leftovers for the next couple of days.” Derek assures him. “I would have cooked something smaller but this is all I had for a meal. I haven’t gone grocery shopping this week.”

“I’m starving, actually.” Theo’s smile widens as he approaches the table and sits down. “I left my clothes in the tub. I didn’t want them to mess up your floor.”

“I’ll grab them after we eat and toss them in the laundry. They can wait until the morning.” It’s an easy way to extend the invitation and let him know that he isn’t planning to kick him out first thing when he wakes up. Theo seems to catch it if the relaxation of his shoulders is anything to go by.

“This...thank you.” He says gently. Derek suspects he isn’t used to people doing things like this for him. That ignites a spark of anger in his chest that he’s quick to smother. He’s not quite sure where this need to protect is coming from and it’s a strange experience. Not unpleasant but definitely out of the norm.

“Sure thing.” Derek smiles gently and sits down at the table, grabbing a slice of pizza. “I thought maybe you’d rather wait for your tea so I got some water instead. But if you’d prefer-“

“Water is fine.” Theo cuts him off softly and offers a sincere smile. He reaches for his first slice and tries not to flush as he feels Derek’s eyes on him.

“I was thinking of putting on a documentary or something after this. I thought we could just sit on the couch and watch it on my laptop.” Derek suggests after Theo has scarfed down the first piece and grabs a second. He eats the way Derek suspected he would - as though he hadn’t eaten in days and he was terrified someone was going to rip it from his hands.

“You wanna cuddle too?” Theo tries to sound mocking but it’s hard around a mouthful of food. The other man lets out a soft snort and only grins in response. The thought of him being serious heats up Theo’s insides and makes his mouth go dry. He swallows thickly and reaches for the water, grateful he isn’t expected to say anything else. He’d have to be a blind man not to find Derek Hale attractive. He’s stayed away from the man, mostly because their paths haven’t crossed very often, but also - “Thought you were into Stiles?”

Derek stills momentarily, a little stunned from the question. It’s not the first time he’s been asked that but he certainly hadn’t expected it from Theo. The other seemed keen on minding his own business and this threw him off guard. “No,” he says after he takes another moment to think. “Well, once,” he concedes as he thinks of a neon party with Stiles’ painted skin pressed into the wall. “But he’s in love with Lydia. Always has been and always will be. It was nice but it wasn’t going to work between us. He’s just my anchor.” It feels strange to admit the words out loud, not because they aren’t true but because he’s never had anyone to tell outside of Stiles and then by extension Scott. “You know, the same could be said about you and Liam.” He’s heard how the chimera always seems to show up in the nick of time to save him. He’d be a poor excuse for a werewolf if he hadn’t noticed the lustful chemosignals at the pack meeting where he’d first properly met Theo.

“We tried it once…” the answer is soft and tentative. “But I knew every time he looked at me, he was seeing me kill Scott and all of the others I’ve helped murder. It was too much for both of us.” There’s a longing in his voice and Derek can empathise. His heart still aches on occasion for the women of his past.

“I’m sorry.” Derek tells him. They lapse into an easy silence after that and neither feels as though they have overstepped their boundaries. If possible, Theo looks like he’s even more at peace than before and Derek wonders if it’s because he finally has someone he can talk to. When the evening had started, he hadn’t pictured any of this. He’d imagined staying up another hour or two with a movie and falling asleep on the couch as the storm raged on outside. He hadn’t expected to be opening up his home to Theo Raeken nor the want for him to stick around. Was he just lonely though? Or was he actually feeling something for the other man?

He finishes a second slice and takes his plate to the kitchen, allowing Theo to eat a third slice and half of a fourth before offering to put the rest away. As he wraps the remainder of it in tin foil, Theo moves the dishes into the dishwasher and puts the kettle back on the stove so they can still have tea. They move effortlessly around each other and Derek can’t help but wish that maybe Theo will stay longer than just the night. He sets the protected pizza in the fridge, gently nudging aside a jug of milk and orange juice to make room. “Flavours for tea are in the far right drawer. There’s some honey and sugar in there too,” he says over his shoulder as Theo starts opening up cabinets.

“Anything in particular you want?”

“Surprise me,” Derek tell him as the kettle whistles. He leaves Theo to make the tea and goes into the living room, opening up his laptop to pull up the list of his downloads. His phone vibrates from the coffee table and he grabs it, raising an eyebrow as he sees that Stiles is calling him. “Yes?” He answers as he sits on the edge of a cushion.

“Dude, the power just went out at my place.” Stiles whines immediately. “Tell me you still have power. Tell me that I can brave the storm and come spend the night on your couch and play video games on my laptop.”

“Sorry, Stiles.” Derek suppresses the urge to roll his eyes. “Power is out here.” Theo moves in the corner of his vision and he looks up to see him walking around the coffee table holding two mugs, frowning slightly.

“The power is working just fi-“

“Oh my god, is that Theo? Chimera Theo? The one that you think is-“

“Good _bye_ , Stiles.” Derek says firmly before hanging up the phone. He turns it off for good measure before the hyperactive human can call back. He’s sure to hear an earful tomorrow but he can’t bring himself to care. Stiles won’t drive himself out in the middle of this monsoon just to yell at him. Just to be safe, he looks up to see that the front door is firmly shut and locked.

“What did he want?” Theo asks as he sits down closer than necessary. He lightly bumps his knee against Derek’s and it’s enough to make him smile warmly at the other man.

“The power went out at his place and he wanted to come here and stay the night. He’s probably bored and home alone for the night. He doesn’t know what to do with himself.” Derek chuckles.

“He’s home alone? How do you know?”

“I saw his dad earlier when I was getting my oil changed. He was telling me he had the night off and he was spending it somewhere else.” He doesn’t give too much detail, John’s life is his own and he won’t out him. If Theo knows what he means then he doesn’t say it, merely acknowledging his words with a nod. Derek moves the mouse on his computer to bring the screen back to life and turns it to Theo. “Take your pick.” He gets up before the other can stop him and walks back to the bathroom, collecting the wet clothes that he’s only just remembered and carrying them to his washing machine. Just as he closes the lid, the lights flicker and then go off completely. The only source of light comes from his glowing laptop and the flash of lightning outside.

“This is payback for lying,” Theo says as he rejoins him on the couch. Derek rolls his eyes and reaches for his mug of tea, taking a small sniff as he lifts the mug to his lips. It’s his sleepy time blend, the only thing in the drawer that exclusively belongs to him. Lydia had suggested it when she’d helped him grocery shop some time back when his nightmares had been at their worst. There’s no caffeine in it (not that it has a high effect on werewolves anyways but Lydia said it was the principle of the matter) and it does help after a long day. He sips from it slowly, enjoying the subtle hint of honey and sugar that Theo had mixed in. He can smell that it’s stronger in Theo’s own drink and he wonders if he has a sweet tooth.

“This is perfect.” Derek smiles and pulls down the blanket from the back of the couch. He drapes it over his legs and Theo’s, slowly leaning back into the cushions. The chimera scrolls through his computer a moment longer before finally selecting a title and pressing play. He adjust the volume and screen brightness before leaning back, his body warm and just out of reach of Derek’s. He lets him have his space, content to share this moment with him and enjoy his tea.

Theo’s chosen some sort of documentary about the creation of trains. Derek isn’t sure why Stiles put it on his computer but he’s appreciative of it at the moment. Theo is completely absorbed and fascinated by it, his gaze fixed on the screen and his head tilted slightly. Derek smiles behind his mug and finishes his tea, leaning forward to set the empty mug on his table. He settles back to get comfortable and this time Theo leans closer, his shoulder slowly pressing into Derek’s until he relaxes into him. Derek shifts down slightly to make it a better angle and Theo’s lips twitch up in a smile.

They’re almost at the end of the documentary when Theo starts to nod off. His empty tea is beside Derek’s and he’s drawn the blanket up to his chest, completely relaxed and blissed out. His head drops onto Derek’s chest at some point and his eyes are closed as his breathing evens out. If it wasn’t for the angle, Derek would be content to let him stay like that. He decides to at least wait for the documentary to end and breathes deeply, taking in Theo’s scent that’s mixed with his own. He can’t help the little thrill he feels from seeing the other man in his clothes and the familiar smell of his own shampoo and body wash.

As the credits roll, he leans his nose down and lightly nuzzles into Theo’s soft hair. “Theo,” he murmurs softly to wake him. There’s a groggy hum in response and Theo tilts his head back, blinking sleepily up at him. “Come on. We can sleep in the bed.” Derek says gently as Theo starts to curl back up. His head lifts again, this time with more awareness, and his lips softly graze Derek’s jaw. A small noise escapes him and that seems to encourage Theo, his lips working their way up before covering Derek’s own.

The kiss is slow and gentle, a soft slide of warm lips against his own chapped. He hums and lets his eyes fall shut, tilting his head down to meet Theo properly. A hand slowly settles on his chest and a second on his hip, Theo’s body shifting until he’s properly straddling his hips. Derek strokes his fingers gently through the hair at the nose of Theo’s neck and slides his free hand down his back as he tastes the other man. His tongue carefully glides across Theo’s lower lip, teeth catching it gently before he pulls back with a smile. Theo blinks slowly up at him, his lips parted and cheeks flushed. Derek can’t help but give him a chaste kiss before drawing back further, settling both hands on Theo’s hips.

“That okay?” Theo asks softly after catching his breath. He nods and pressed a tender kiss to his jaw, smiling against his skin.

“Better than okay.” He rubs his thumbs along his sides before letting go. “I think we should go to bed now. Just to sleep,” he adds as Theo gives him a look. “At least tonight.” He playfully pinches Theo’s ass and the chimera lightly laughs and smacks his hand away.

“Okay.” He stands from his lap and offers his hand, pulling the older male to his feet. He gathers the blanket that’s fallen on the floor and places it on the back of the couch before leading Derek to his bed, hesitating just at the foot of it.

“I usually sleep shirtless. That okay with you?” Derek asks, sitting down on the end of the bed. Theo nods and watches Derek remove his shirt before giving in and stripping his own, gathering both to move to the top of the dresser. He returns as Derek crawls to the middle of the bed and slides in beside him, letting the covers up to the middle of his chest as he rolls on his side to face Derek. The older male gently reaches out and tugs him closer, smiling as Theo melts easily into his chest and tucks his head below Derek’s. Their legs tangle easily, arms sliding around one another in the darkness.

“Thank you for letting me stay.” Theo mumbles sleepily against his collarbone. Derek answers with a fond kiss to the top of his head and a murmur of acknowledgment. He’s not sure what this is but he likes it and he doesn’t want to let go any time soon. He closes his eyes and breathes in their mixed scents, feeling truly content for the first time in months as he drifts off to sleep.

-

Most mornings, Derek finds himself waking peacefully to the sunlight steaming in through his wall of windows. Today is not like most mornings. He barely wakes in time to hear the door unlock and his eyes open just as Stiles lets out an undignified shriek of “oh god my poor eyes!” before the door abruptly slams shut again. Theo grumbles against his chest and Derek can only smile, pulling the covers up over them as he starts to drift back off to sleep. Maybe Stiles has learned a lesson on knocking and why he shouldn’t invade someone else’s privacy. One could always hope at least.


End file.
